The one thing Hamidou Diallo didn’t really have to get any better at in the offseason was his explosiveness going to the rack. The 2019 NBA Slam Dunk champion may have only had 22 dunks throughout last season (on 23 attempts) but he had a limited amount of playing time, appearing in only 51 games and averaging 10.3 minutes per night.
Now, part of the problem is Diallo is limited on the offensive end. His shot needs some work. Even at NBA Summer League, Diallo left quite a bit to be desired.
But he may get more opportunities on the floor in 2019-20 with Russell Westbrook and Paul George gone and the Oklahoma City Thunder trying to reposition the franchise before rebuilding, as general manager Sam Presti put it.
Diallo still has several other players ahead of him on the depth chart, but his youth and previous experience with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (at Kentucky) give the Thunder reason to allow him more chances early in the season. And it seems he’s still putting in the work to get on the floor — and showing off a little in the process:
From the look of it, Diallo has a chance to retain his crown in 2020, too.
